Chris Conaton
@conatonc.bsky.social
Music writer, movie lover, professional grocery shopper
Yeah, clearly “affordability”, “simpler” and “parking” are code for “we are going to a mid-sized hotel in the suburbs to try and keep this thing alive somehow.”
But selling passes to the early birds is easier if they pretend it’s still a big-time event at the main convention center.
But selling passes to the early birds is easier if they pretend it’s still a big-time event at the main convention center.
February 6, 2026 at 10:58 PM
Yeah, clearly “affordability”, “simpler” and “parking” are code for “we are going to a mid-sized hotel in the suburbs to try and keep this thing alive somehow.”
But selling passes to the early birds is easier if they pretend it’s still a big-time event at the main convention center.
But selling passes to the early birds is easier if they pretend it’s still a big-time event at the main convention center.
Well, that’s sad. But I think I made the trip out to La Senterra maybe 4-5 times total in all the time it was open? It was just too far across Houston for me from up in Spring, especially with Grand Parkway tolls on top of already being an expensive experience.
February 6, 2026 at 10:05 PM
Well, that’s sad. But I think I made the trip out to La Senterra maybe 4-5 times total in all the time it was open? It was just too far across Houston for me from up in Spring, especially with Grand Parkway tolls on top of already being an expensive experience.
Orange Juice (specifically Simply brand) used to come in 1/2 gallon (64 oz.). Then it was 59 oz. Then 52. Now it’s at 46.
February 6, 2026 at 6:42 PM
Orange Juice (specifically Simply brand) used to come in 1/2 gallon (64 oz.). Then it was 59 oz. Then 52. Now it’s at 46.
This was me with grinning James McAvoy in Speak No Evil in the summer of ‘24. Was so happy when it finally came out in mid-September.
February 5, 2026 at 6:43 PM
This was me with grinning James McAvoy in Speak No Evil in the summer of ‘24. Was so happy when it finally came out in mid-September.
We just watched LOTR with our kids and this is like Bilbo with the Ring plus Trump’s “When you’re a star they let you do it” all smushed together with rich people’s worst impulses being indulged leading to “Young teen girls are sexy and find me, a rich and famous person, attractive. They like this!”
an older man is holding a ring in his hand and asking why shouldn 't i .
ALT: an older man is holding a ring in his hand and asking why shouldn 't i .
media.tenor.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:13 PM
We just watched LOTR with our kids and this is like Bilbo with the Ring plus Trump’s “When you’re a star they let you do it” all smushed together with rich people’s worst impulses being indulged leading to “Young teen girls are sexy and find me, a rich and famous person, attractive. They like this!”
My high school marching band had a cameo in In the Line of Fire because we played for a George Bush campaign rally in ‘92 and the producers took B-roll of the event and ended up using it in the movie.
February 4, 2026 at 3:54 AM
My high school marching band had a cameo in In the Line of Fire because we played for a George Bush campaign rally in ‘92 and the producers took B-roll of the event and ended up using it in the movie.
This makes me think of the girl who sued the University of Texas for not letting her in with her so-so scores but letting people of color in over her instead. And how by the time the case went to trial she was a sophomore at LSU.
February 3, 2026 at 9:58 PM
This makes me think of the girl who sued the University of Texas for not letting her in with her so-so scores but letting people of color in over her instead. And how by the time the case went to trial she was a sophomore at LSU.
Coalie at least has the good sense to look sheepish about this.
February 3, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Coalie at least has the good sense to look sheepish about this.
Whitehouse is an interesting case.
He often calls out R’s and makes strong statements against Donald Trump, but then he goes and votes like this - repeatedly. I guess the easiest conclusion is that he’s a cynical asshole who plays to his base but also votes to keep the system rolling along.
He often calls out R’s and makes strong statements against Donald Trump, but then he goes and votes like this - repeatedly. I guess the easiest conclusion is that he’s a cynical asshole who plays to his base but also votes to keep the system rolling along.
February 3, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Whitehouse is an interesting case.
He often calls out R’s and makes strong statements against Donald Trump, but then he goes and votes like this - repeatedly. I guess the easiest conclusion is that he’s a cynical asshole who plays to his base but also votes to keep the system rolling along.
He often calls out R’s and makes strong statements against Donald Trump, but then he goes and votes like this - repeatedly. I guess the easiest conclusion is that he’s a cynical asshole who plays to his base but also votes to keep the system rolling along.
Ooh, let’s see before reading. There was:
• The Disney+ Zoom-style series
• The ABC Muppets Tonight meta show that tried to get into the Muppets’ personal lives away from the show
• Muppets Most Wanted, the sequel to the Jason Segel movie
• And the Muppets season of Holey Moley
• The Disney+ Zoom-style series
• The ABC Muppets Tonight meta show that tried to get into the Muppets’ personal lives away from the show
• Muppets Most Wanted, the sequel to the Jason Segel movie
• And the Muppets season of Holey Moley
February 3, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Ooh, let’s see before reading. There was:
• The Disney+ Zoom-style series
• The ABC Muppets Tonight meta show that tried to get into the Muppets’ personal lives away from the show
• Muppets Most Wanted, the sequel to the Jason Segel movie
• And the Muppets season of Holey Moley
• The Disney+ Zoom-style series
• The ABC Muppets Tonight meta show that tried to get into the Muppets’ personal lives away from the show
• Muppets Most Wanted, the sequel to the Jason Segel movie
• And the Muppets season of Holey Moley
Pete thinks about dudes in dresses a lot, it seems.
February 2, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Pete thinks about dudes in dresses a lot, it seems.
The Biden Administration treating Trump as an aberration is how we ended up with Trump’s full fascist second term. Shrugging off the horrible issues of Trump 1 and trying to “move forward” without holding him and his people accountable led directly to this.
The U.S. CANNOT afford to try that again
The U.S. CANNOT afford to try that again
February 2, 2026 at 5:20 PM
The Biden Administration treating Trump as an aberration is how we ended up with Trump’s full fascist second term. Shrugging off the horrible issues of Trump 1 and trying to “move forward” without holding him and his people accountable led directly to this.
The U.S. CANNOT afford to try that again
The U.S. CANNOT afford to try that again
Kevin Hassett looks like a junior Christmas Adventurer.
February 2, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Kevin Hassett looks like a junior Christmas Adventurer.
In the 16 years I’ve lived here, my various districts (State Rep, State Senate, US Rep) in northwest Harris County (Houston) have tended to be about R+20, even as Harris County has gone blue.
A result like this gives me slight hope that maybe even my area could get some Dem wins this year.
A result like this gives me slight hope that maybe even my area could get some Dem wins this year.
February 2, 2026 at 2:35 PM
In the 16 years I’ve lived here, my various districts (State Rep, State Senate, US Rep) in northwest Harris County (Houston) have tended to be about R+20, even as Harris County has gone blue.
A result like this gives me slight hope that maybe even my area could get some Dem wins this year.
A result like this gives me slight hope that maybe even my area could get some Dem wins this year.
Houston and Harris County in general have been solidly blue for about a decade. Ft. Bend County to the southwest is also blue, but the other 7 counties in the region are mostly more rural and are still very red.
February 2, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Houston and Harris County in general have been solidly blue for about a decade. Ft. Bend County to the southwest is also blue, but the other 7 counties in the region are mostly more rural and are still very red.
Well, I can’t say this is not a bummer, as I’ve been with the show since it got that write-up in EW all those years ago. Looking forward to rereading the Morrison run, though, and seeing if I’m still lukewarm on it.
This also seems like a clever way to get out of doing most of Chuck Austin’s run. 😛
This also seems like a clever way to get out of doing most of Chuck Austin’s run. 😛
February 2, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Well, I can’t say this is not a bummer, as I’ve been with the show since it got that write-up in EW all those years ago. Looking forward to rereading the Morrison run, though, and seeing if I’m still lukewarm on it.
This also seems like a clever way to get out of doing most of Chuck Austin’s run. 😛
This also seems like a clever way to get out of doing most of Chuck Austin’s run. 😛
Seems like Dems can probably find a candidate who stands up to Trump and also doesn’t shit all over trans people and make the already-difficult lives of homeless people even worse.
But I guess we’ll see.
But I guess we’ll see.
February 2, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Seems like Dems can probably find a candidate who stands up to Trump and also doesn’t shit all over trans people and make the already-difficult lives of homeless people even worse.
But I guess we’ll see.
But I guess we’ll see.
And they can’t even commiserate in person with their colleagues. They have to just sit there at their real jobs and stew in it because the Texas Legislature isn’t in session again until this time next year.
February 1, 2026 at 5:53 AM
And they can’t even commiserate in person with their colleagues. They have to just sit there at their real jobs and stew in it because the Texas Legislature isn’t in session again until this time next year.
Extending this metaphor, does this mean we’ll be starting our own version of Shen Yun soon?
February 1, 2026 at 5:45 AM
Extending this metaphor, does this mean we’ll be starting our own version of Shen Yun soon?
Good thing for Republicans Texas Senate terms are 4 years so half of them aren’t up this year.
February 1, 2026 at 5:12 AM
Good thing for Republicans Texas Senate terms are 4 years so half of them aren’t up this year.
Tarrant is the last major county in Texas to start trending blue, but it’s been wobbling back and forth since 2020. And yeah, plenty of areas around the county, like this one, are still very red.
February 1, 2026 at 1:30 AM
Tarrant is the last major county in Texas to start trending blue, but it’s been wobbling back and forth since 2020. And yeah, plenty of areas around the county, like this one, are still very red.
Thank you for this. My first reaction was, “7 months is not nearly enough time to go from concept to actual racing when it’s top-level cars, is it?”
There’s a shit-ton of logistics to figure out and Sean Duffy is certainly not the guy to handle that.
There’s a shit-ton of logistics to figure out and Sean Duffy is certainly not the guy to handle that.
January 30, 2026 at 10:53 PM
Thank you for this. My first reaction was, “7 months is not nearly enough time to go from concept to actual racing when it’s top-level cars, is it?”
There’s a shit-ton of logistics to figure out and Sean Duffy is certainly not the guy to handle that.
There’s a shit-ton of logistics to figure out and Sean Duffy is certainly not the guy to handle that.